Superhydrophobic Hydrogel-Elastomer Hybrids

Hydrogels can hold many times their weight in water and consequentially find a diverse range of applications, ranging from biomedical applications to photonics and adhesion. However, their moisture content is not easily controlled; in wet environments, water easily enters the hydrogel, and in dry environments, water in the hydrogel quickly evaporates. This leads to swollen or dehydrated gels, destroying their structural integrity, thereby ruining their functions. The few methods in scientific literature which exist to moderate water content of hydrogels often do not modify just the surface, but rather the wettability of the entire bulk of the hydrogel—removing some of their useful properties enabled by high water content. We propose to fabricate a superhydrophobic hydrogel-elastomer hybrid material, in which the surface is very difficult to wet, but the interior maintains its water content. This will enable the use of hydrogels in a much greater range of environments.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hua-Zhong Yu

Student:

Partner:

Hokkaido University

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Agriculture; Education

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program: